AstraZeneca shares drop 7% after report on $400 billion merger talks with Bristol Myers Squibb

The companies have discussed a potential merger over several months, the Financial Times reported on Sunday.

AstraZeneca's shares plummeted by as much as 7% following reports of potential $400 billion merger talks with U.S. pharmaceutical giant Bristol Myers Squibb. The prospect of a $400 billion deal would make the companies one of the largest pharmaceutical mergers ever, according to a Sunday report from the Financial Times. However, both companies have yet to comment on the matter.

AstraZeneca's London-listed shares were last seen trading 6.2% lower in early trading, negatively impacting the U.K.'s blue-chip FTSE 100 index, which remained largely unchanged. AstraZeneca's market capitalization stood at $264 billion as of Monday trading, a figure that has risen steadily over the past decade under CEO Pascal Soriot's leadership.

The company aims to achieve $80 billion in sales by 2030, up from $58.7 billion in the previous year. Analysts expressed confusion over the potential merger, questioning the rationale behind it given AstraZeneca's strong growth and innovation profile. Jefferies analysts commented that while financial gains from the merger might be appealing, AstraZeneca does not appear to require such consolidation. The news is deemed breaking, and readers are advised to refresh for updates.

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